0.0
New York in mid July… we are in East Harlem, a poor Hispanic and Caribbean neighbourhood.
0.16
And here we are at East Harlem fire station. Unusually, things are quiet – it’s lunchtime and the hungry fire fighters are gathered in the kitchen. Today it’s a roast.
00 .34
Question: What are you cooking today?
- He is the chef
- Bryan is the chef
1.45 - Bryan
"I guess I'm in charge, I’m driving I'm in charge of the meal I'm doing a little of everything"
Firefighter
"He’d make a good wife"
0.53
Bryan has worked here for nearly 7 years. The station is his second home. Preparing the meal, he savours the peace.
1.06
But for New York firemen peace never lasts long.
1.17
Bryan must abandon the roast… his company is called out to an emergency.
01.26 - Fireman
"There's a fire on the 3rd floor of a building"
1.33
In less than two minutes, the company is fully dressed and equipped.
1.43
Having left his ovens, Bryan is now guiding one of the company’s two 6 tonne vehicles to the fire.
1.54
He weaves his way though the traffic around Central Park,
2.05
his hand permanently on the horn…
2.18
In under 10 minutes, the fireman are at the scene…
2.35
The fire took the top floor of this old building ...
2.40
an injured firefighter is evacuated. His colleagues work carefully…The building’s structure is wooden, and flames can easily spread to adjoining buildings.
2.57
But the firefighters are professionals, they know what they are doing.
3.04
Equipped with a dozen vehicles and more than 80 men they keep damage to a minimum
3.16
and gain control of the fire within an hour.
3.26
Bryan and his team return to Harlem, the operation was successful.
3.30
For the moment, the firemen can relax.
00.03.44 - Bryan Pike
"You never know until you’re there what's going down, so, lot of times, you do not know if it's just a call for smoke in the subway, or it is a terrorist attack
4.04
Bryan has not forgotten… Nobody has forgotten.
4.20
The vast towers in flames,
4.17
the terrible roar and sudden devastating collapse, and then panic. Even 7 years after the event it remains difficult to take in.
4.30
On 11 September 2001 2,749 people died as hijacked planes ploughed into the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon. This was the biggest single loss of life in American history, a trauma which remains deeply felt,
4.42
and nowhere more than in New York.
4.45
Today the city still bears the scars of tragedy, a gaping hole where the World Trade Centre towers once stood, the surrounding area a vast building site. This is a wound that has not yet healed.
5.00
But the last 7 years have seen huge change in New York.
5.10
Tourists are everywhere - flocking from every corner of the globe. Last year, there were 8 million visitors to the Big Apple - twice as many as in 2001, and the growth continues.
5.25
This city never stops. At Ground Zero regeneration work is going at full pace. New Yorkers poured money into the devastated area after the disaster, converting it from a business district to a residential area. Apartments have replaced offices to the great joy of estate agents.
5.50 CUT
We meet French estate agent Regis and his client as they inspect a property.
05.56 - Regis and client on the street.
"Here we go - 45 John Street this building is under construction."
6.00
For Regis the redeveloped Ground Zero is proving extremely profitable.
6.10 - Regis
At the moment the area is much cheaper than other districts, but we expect prices to increase significantly over the next few years. "
6.20
If New York is attracting more attention than ever it is because the city is safer than ever. There are police everywhere, monitoring for terrorist activity on the ground,
at sea
and especially in the air
06.40 - Fernando Almeida
"Right now, we are a point 9 miles away, and you see the guy right there, we can have a pretty good description of the individual. "
6.52
Everywhere you look New York is on high alert. And especially the fire service. These men paid a high price on 9-11, but now they are ready for anything.
07.05
Trainee firefighters on exercise.
00.07.09 - Instructor
"Do not operate with you right hand, operate with your left hand"
00.07.10 - John Manning
"Its very physical, to do anything you’ve got to be in great shape, the hose is heavy,
7.23
But in New York, many families are still mourning the events of 9-11, like the Hornings. Diane and Kurt lost their son in one of the towers, but, 7 years later they are still unable to bury him.
7.32
These are exclusive pictures of the secret New York is trying to hide. This huge landfill contains the piled remains of the twin towers. Amongst the rubble lie the bodies of nearly half of the disaster’s victims. Including the son of Diane and Kurt.
7.40
The authorities disagree. According to them there are no bodies in the landfill and no personal belongings of the dead. Diane does not believe it. With her husband she has been doing her own research, providing this exclusive footage.
Diane
Oh this is a fireman’s jacket
08.05
Diane
"They have been left in a garbage dump, I want them removed and buried with dignity and respect. "
8.14
7 years after 9-11 New York is more welcoming and safer. Have New Yorkers managed to rebuild the American Dream in their wounded city? Can they leave the haunting memories of that terrible day behind ?
08.39
Randall Island north west of Manhattan… We are visiting one of Americas most respected institutions. The Fire Academy.
00.08.55 Chief Stephen Geraghty
"They are having a competition to see how fast they can get dressed. "
It is an exercise that requires practice and skill. They must don 30 kilos of equipment in two minutes…not a second more .
00.09.15 - QUESTION
Why is it so important to do that?
9.20 - Chief Stephen Geraghty
"Most of the stuff the fire department does is under pressure, you're there gotta react quick, you gotta be able perform, putting on a gear should be second nature, you should be able to do that with your eyes closed. And that's what they are doing. "
9.35
Both these are up to speed. They put their on their gas masks, adjust their helmets and put on their gloves, all in record time…1 minute 20.
9.50
Everything must be done at high speed. Every moment lost could cost lives. The trainees must learn to think and act at break neck pace.
10.10
Inside the school, a memorial remembers the 364 firefighters that died in service 7 years ago:
10.22
Stéphane Gerathy is the fire academy’s Chief Officer: his brother died at his command post at the foot of the towers on 9-11.
10.32
ITW Chief Garrithy at the memorial
"It's a reminder that this could happen at any time again. These people gave their lives for their country, these people gave their lives for the people of the city of New York, so we do a lot of training where we'll show the death of a fireman, to see how serious this training is. "
10.55
New York’s firefighters were woefully unprepared for 9-11. Training deficiencies and equipment failure were responsible for the terrible death toll amongst the city’s firemen. In response Chief Gerathy has dedicated himself creating a world beating fire academy. His men train for everything, even the unimaginable.
11.25
Within the Academy’s 11 hectares, all possible types of situations are recreated. An entire neighbourhood has been recreated, with offices, homes and shops.
11.27
Down
11.33
Until 9/11 all these situations were theoretical.
00.11.34 Stephen Gerathy
"It's a subway simulator, we have a full car and half a car just to show the middle, as you see we practice taking the victims out of the car and the platform we can go from the second car, we go from the second car to this car and then we go out. "
Question; Did you have it before 9 / 11?
11.59 - Chief Gerathy
"No, we did not. It was built 3 years ago. "
12.05
"We have all units toward the city that can handle almost any emergency, to respond to any chemical release or radiological release, you would go down and take appropriate action."
12.10
September 11 forced a massive review of the Fire Service. The City authorities have now invested more than $20 million in the modernisation of the force, making it the best equipped in the world.
12.23
Infrastructure, equipment…Stephen Gerathy has addressed everything down to the smallest detail.
Mr Kennedy, turn around to the side. Turn around the other way.
00.12.33 Stephen Gerathy
"See this bag we had a few years ago, firefighters and they found themselves trapped and could not escape, so we came up with an escape device, the hook on the window, it's attached to a harness and you'll attach it to something. "
12.45
Abseiling equipment could have saved many lives on 9-11. It is now central to post 9-11 fire service training.
13.07
But Stephen’s prime concern is the training of young recruits:
"Are you ready"
Each year 800 trainees arrive, dreaming of becoming fire fighters. But before these dreams are realised they must undergo rigorous training – equivalent to that of military special forces. Despite this, trainees are numerous - since 9-11 New York’s firefighters have been regarded as true American heros.
00.13.45 - John MANNING
If you want the job that bad you gonna do what they tell you "
13.53
Question: "You think it's gonna be that hard?
Manning
Aboslutely, but there is a reason behind it
14.03 - Manning
It's the best job in the world. "
14.10
John Manning is 24 years old. He is a New Yorker . He is 2 weeks into his training at the Fire Academy. He has only just begun.
14.20 - Instructor
I’m gonna then tell him to put his left arm…
And the first thing the trainees learn is how to tie rescue knots – allowing them to evacuate victims from dangerous situations.
Instructor 14.29
It’s a very right handed job. This is another example of it.
00.14.30 John Manning
"They inbend this in your head,, so it become second nature for you. You know do it as tying your shoes "
14.45
John is in trouble.:
00.14.50 Instructor:
What knot have you tied ?
John
A rescue knot.
Do you think it will save a life ?
John Manning
No
Instructor
That would be incorrect.
16.39
John is not ready. He must get the hang of these basic lessons as soon as possible.
00.15.08
"Is it hard to wear it when it is so hot outside? "
John Manning
"Yeah, it's hard but you're always gonna be in hard condition, so you have to get use to it. "
15.20
Live Instructor
"You have a couple of minutes, Set up nice, take some water and you guys, you be good to go. "
15.27
John now faces one of the hardest tests: the hose. With only two weeks practice all the trainees struggle.
00.15.40 instructor,
"This is not an easy job, okay, that to get your head, I can not just take anybody in the street it would be an insult to the firefighters in the street, it's a hard thing to do"
15.51
What awaits students is a real test of strength:
15.55
Six to 7 bars of pressure coarse down this huge pipe, it is the equivalent to lifting a 70 kg weight. And the firemen must be able to control it at arm's length…
16.12
It is essential that the firemen become skilled with the hose. For the moment they clearly need more practice.
16.23
It's John's turn. He looks nervous.
John
Ready…go
16.34
He too has great difficulty in containing the power of the jet
00.16.34 Instructor mustache and sunglasses
"Do not push him, you can not push him of you'not tucked up on him…"
00.16.42 Instructor in yellow
"Do not operate with you right hand, operate with your left hand"
16.50
Today is not John’s day, but he remains optimistic.
00.16.54 John Manning
"It's gonna take a lot of work, but I think I'm gonna make it, it takes a lot of discipline. For the next 6 months you've got to dedicate yourself totally in this. "
17.13
John has 23 weeks of hard graft ahead of him. But a few kilometres away, we find a more tranquil side to this great city.
00.17.23 - Sunrise over Manhattan
It is 8pm. We are in the fashionable neighborhood of Chelsea. Here we find Régis, he is a French estate who has been living the American Dream for 8 years now.
00.17.41 Régis
Hey, how are you doing?
17.44
Here everyone knows everyone.
17.51 - Régis
"New York is very small, it's fun, easy to meet people. It’s a bit like a village. "
17.59
Regis was born and brought up in Paris’ 13th arrondissement, but now he has made his home in New York. He almost considers himself a true New Yorker.
18.15
Twice a week, he meets a group of friends to play football. Not traditionally an American sport but in New York anything goes. There are even sports fields on the rooftops!
00.18.31 - Régis
"Its great to play by the bay with all the boats. We’re not that good, the ball ends up in the river quite a lot ! This is New York City, we play whereever there’s a little bit of space ! I’ve got to go now.
Tonight Régis’ team is beaten, but he is not too upset. He faces a more important challenge tomorrow.
19.15
COMM
We’re back in the area around Ground Zero. Regis is showing a client around the area’s newly converted apartments.
00.19.20 - Regis and client.
He has not much time, so I made the appointments very close to each other… we need to get going, we’re already running late. "
19.37
This used to be an office, but has been converted to upmarket housing.
Ambiance
Regis has been working as an estate agent in New York for 8 years now. The New York property market is suffering from money market woes, but there’s still money to be made.
00.19.57
Question; What do you think of this apartment ?
Client:
What do I think ? It’s quite noisy isn’t it ?
Regis:
"It's normal for this time of the day – because of the developments. It’s quiet in the evening. "
COMM
The deal looks doubtful. But Régis has a surprise. He takes his client up to the roof. The view is breathtaking.
Live Regis and his client on the roof
"What a view ! Being able to come up here definitely increases the value of the property."
COMM
The views these apartments offer make them excellent investments. In the long term they will number amongst New York’s prime real estate areas.
00.20.51 - Régis
"Every day you bring a glass of wine up here, then there’s the fire.
Régis
"You can put deck chairs here, round the jacuzzi.
But despite the view, Regis’ client is not convinced…
21.10
Regis will try again with another apartment in the same area.
21.24 Régis
The best thing about this place is this – here you have a lovely big kitchen
21.45
COMM
Our client is still not impressed. But the tour does not stop here, as well as the roof gardens, New York apartments generally have a gym, a laundry and even a reception hall.
21.52
Live Regis in reception hall
Not bad ! I like this.
In a bid to finally convince this demanding client, Regis plays his trump.
00.22.04 CUT
Régis
The apartment has been converted from offices. It is excellent value for money – the price is $ 825,000.
COMM
$ 825000 or 560,000 € for 60 m2. Property right in the heart of New York is cheaper than in the most sought after areas of Paris or London… But that’s not all.
00.22.27
There is no tax .
22.42Customer
No tax?
Regis
You have between 10 and 14 years free of tax.
22.45
This is a good surprise! Exemption from tax means a saving of at least € 500 per month. A thank you from the City of New York.
00.22.52 - Simona
"Post 9 / 11, the city was giving developers money to build – everybody just moved out from here so they said if you want to build here we give you a tax deduction, and if you want to buy, you will not be taxed for 14 years, 10 years, it depends on the tax abatement. "
23.08
The City of New York is hoping to regenerate Ground Zero by converting it from a business area to a residential neighbourhood. The plan was controversial, but there are signs that it is working.
23.22
At first glance this area seems deserted, but then we find Stone Street. We are close to the New York Stock Exchange, but these people are enjoying themselves!
23.38
This is Brett Feore: he is well-known around here, he spends all his time in this bar!
00.23.45 - Brett in the street
"Actually, there's no bigger advocate for living in this street but me"
23.51 Patron of bar
He is Mr Stone Street, he loves the street "
23.57
Brett moved into the district only 3 months after September 11. He shows us round his apartment – there’s certainly plenty of space!
Visit apartment
00.24.10 Brett
"My room doesn’t overlook the street, its on the other side of the apartment"
24.18
Brett would never usually be able to afford an apartment of this size. But as part of the regeneration project New York City pays 25% of his rent!
00.24.25 Brett Feore
"I moved down because the govt gave me some money, they were paying at least $500 of my rent every month. That was a huge benefit.”
24.39
With this generous financial encouragement from the authorities many others like Brett have made this once dilapidated business area their home, bringing with them character and a real sense of community.
00.24.51 Brett Live
"There's a little barbecue there that I bring out"
24.57
Brett loves Stone Street, but he is the first to agree that there have been huge changes in the last seven years.
00.25.05 - Brett Feore on the roof
"It was not a place you wanted to eat. When I moved down it was a lot of drug problems, there was a lot of squatters, boarded up plywood lot of the businesses, no. No one would come down, it was actually a scary place. "
COMM TRANSITION FLICS
25.24
Central New York is now one of the most heavily guarded areas of the US. The threat of another terrorist attack is hard to ignore. Police are everywhere
25.38
- in the subway,
- on every street corner:
37,000 policemen, some armed as if for combat in Iraq. They are all hunting an invisible enemy
a search that is becoming an obsession.
25.51 - Flic Hercule
This could be one… we're trying to deter them them. " "Terrorists could be anywhere. But our presence stops them from acting. What we are doing is terrorising the terrorists. "
But how can you fight a threat that could come from anywhere? For the New York Police Department the answer is to reassure New Yorkers by an open display of force.
26.19
Each day, dozens of vehicles descend on one neighbourhood. This afternoon they are at Times Square. Once the police are in position, a roadblock is set up. Identity checks are carried out, and then all vehicles must drive passed this van. It may look unremarkable, but it is in fact equipped with ultra-modern technology. What New York fears most is a nuclear attack.
00.26.50
"You pass my sensor which is in the silver case, when that car go by if there is any radiation detected by sensor that, I get an alarm here letting me know that a vehicle has a potential source in it,
27.13
Anti-radiation detectors, thousands of police: New York is in a state of permanent alert. But the safety precautions go even further: wherever you are in the city, you are under surveillance.
We leave Manhattan heading for Brooklyn. It is a 45-minute drive. This deserted building is in fact a secret police base.
28.00
Each day a helicopter sets off from here. In this way, the New York Police Department has an eye everywhere, the technology costs $10 million.
28.10
In command is Derienzo Denis, a 37 year old former marine. The mission will last 4 hours. The helicopter takes off in the direction of the Manhattan peninsula. Flying over Ground Zero is always an emotional experience.
00.28.33 Itw Denis Derienzo
"Why we have a ship like this, is because of what happen below us. "
Personally, each one of us know that we've lost personal "
An event like 9 / 11 definitely, wakes up everybody, If we're here in the helicopter because of what happened just below us. That day, we all lost a close friend or colleague. On 11 September was tragic, it shocked us all. "
The purpose of the mission: to monitor the sights of New York. The helicopter is equipped with a powerful camera operated by a highly trained technician:
00.29.08 Denis Derienzo
"Far left is central park, a lot of tourists come here from, all around the world, we can check roof tops, we can check transit system that are located in Manhattan, and tunnels for suspicious activities, things that are out of the Norm "
"To our left is Central Park, tourists from all over the world come here, we check the roofs of buildings, access roads which are in Manhattan and also tunnels and bridges. It identifies all suspicious activities, anything that is outside the normal "
00.29.29
we're gonna go check the statue of liberty…. "
29.36
The Statue of Liberty is a symbol of America. It is regarded as high risk.
29.52 F. Almeida
"It's a camera which you can also switch into a mode telescope to view things closer.
"We have a range of about 2 and Half miles, we could look at a particular person"
Right now we're 1.9 miles away, you see the guy up there, you could give a good description of the individuals "
The images are transmitted to ground teams straight away, allowing swift analysis and intervention.
00.30.28
Itw Fernando Almeida (detective / aircraft technician)
"We have a moving map, with GPS, so we can, whatever we're looking at, we're looking at the map and we know exactly where we're located, we can tell what street we're over flying, we can direct units to that location. "
Keeping New Yorkers safe from the threat of another attack costs the city a massive 140 million euros per year. But the commitment has won back the city’s dynamism and cult status.
One of the first to benefit from this practice was Regis, our real estate agent.
It is noon, Regis is too busy to go out for lunch. He eats in his office with his colleague.
00.31.34
"It's like this all day, its the race for success, but its good, it's interesting. "
But if he works hard, Regis also likes to relax, and enjoy New York’s famous night life.
00.31.54 Régis
"These are significant deals, each sale or lease is worth large sums of money. A real estate agent usually earns $ 50,000 a year, a successful agent might be on $ 150 000 per year, and there are some who earn even more.
Question: And where do you fit in ?
Régis
I think I quite successful !
Régis earns about 8000 euros a month, but he does work seven days a week, he is determined to make the most of the economic climate.
00.32.30 Régis
"I do have an advantage in that I am French. Many Europeans want to invest in New York because of the strong euro. "
32.49
And yet, for all his charm, he still hasn’t convinced one client. He has organized visits to some more apartments.
Ambiance
33.03
But clearly they have not been a success.
33.16 Régis
You can choose whichever different finishes you want, it's the apartment you want to make it. "
00.33.25 Régis
"We're going to 45 John Street, which is a new construction. Just here.
33.45
This is the last viewing of the day.
And then, finally, success!
33.52 - Customer
"It's fantastic, fantastic…"
33.48
This lovely 72 m2 apartment has fantastic views across the financial district and comes equipped with the same tax benefits as the other apartments.
00.34.07
Question: You think he will buy it?
34.14 Régis
"I don’t know but he is interested"
Regis is thinking of the commission.
00.34.19 Régis
If he buys, I will receive a 3% commission.
Question: How much?
Régis
between 16000 $ - 17000 $
34.32
Regis can hope for 11000 €, if the sale is concluded.
Regis and client in front of the building
00.34.34
Question: Have you fallen in love with it?
34.38 - Customer
Yes, this is the one!
34.45 Régis
Shall we go?
34’52
Tonight is French Tuesday at a nearby club.
35.17
Regis and his partner are enjoying themselves.
00.35.19 Régis
People come here to meet and exchange business cards. But I’m still French at heart - I’ve finished work for the day!
35.34
Regis is a 35 year old bachelor. He’s out to have a good time.
00.35.40 Régis
I’m no good with women, just ask Marco.
25.48 Marco
There’s nothing we can do! You just have to leave Regis to it, and then be around to pick up the pieces.
35.58
Hi I'm Régis…
36.11
But tonight will not be a success! For the moment Regis is happier in business than love.
36.20
It seems for the moment that New York has moved on from the terrors of 9-11, memories banished and lives rebuilt. But there are people who can not forget.
00.36.36
The Bellevue hospital is the largest public hospital in New York. It is famous for its treatment of 9-11 victims.
37.00
But even today, so many years on, there are thousands of patients who are still medical needing medical help as a result of the tragedy.
37.10
This morning Marc Verathy a safety officer, waits his turn. He has been ill for two years, with no signs of recovery.
37.19
3 times a year, he comes for a check-up.
37.24
OK, take a deep breath in. Now blast it.
37.33
Keep going, keep going You're almost there, a little bit more
37.33 (over speech)
COMM
A simple exercise but it requires enormous effort.
00.37.40
Live Patient
"That's the problem I have everywhere I go, only making Coughing, I'm scared about it…. "
37.50
He waits to hear the results.
37.56
Joan Reibman is the consultant, she has bad news for Marc.
38.02 Physician
Big inhale.. even harder.
00.38.10 Physician
"Here you took a deep breath in and you blow out hard and fast, what this shows is that, this line here, we would like it to be right here, you're not there you're 70% of where we would like you to be.
38.27
Marc is a victim of what is known as 9-11 cough.
images archive
38.34
When the towers collapsed they created a huge toxic cloud of dust containing asbestos particles as well as benzene and lead. On 11 September, Marc was caught in this toxic cloud.
00.38.58 Marc Verathy add its hist
'By 9 / 11 I was working on 195 Broadway, across the street of the WTC, when I was working over there, I feel my throat like I'm on the beach, the sand goes to my mouth. I said that to the others, everybody on the area have the same. My boss did not want us to wear a mask, he said if we work with a mask, the tenants will not go back to the building, so we are the one who are suffering "
39.30
Marc is not the only one in this situation; Dr. Reibman has many patients with similar problems.
00.39.36 Physician
"Today the most of what we see are really respiratory, shortness of breath, cough, wheezing, some of them have asthma, some of them it's different, and some sinus stomach, we do not understand why some have stomach but discomfort they do, that are the main things that we see.
39.54
Fortunately, for Marc Dr Reibman’s services are free. In 2005 as the numbers of respiratory patients ballooned, the American state set up an initiative to fund a programme of care. But to benefit from this measure, patients must prove that they were close to the site at the time of the disaster. Marc had good proof.
00.40.12 Marc Verathy
"I just brought pictures to prove that so everywhere I go to show that I was on the top of the building, to show where I was working. " on the lobby, where I was working all those time
00.40.29 Physician
You were in the lobby?
00.40.30 patient
Yes all this time I was working there
00.40.32 Physician
So this is very soon after 9-11
00.40.35 Patient
Yes I got all the pictures as a proof
00.40.37 Physician
"So what he is saying is many people say we do not really believe you, we think that you were sick before, we do not believe that you're sick from this and feel that they unfortunately have to show them. "
40.55
Officially, around sixty people died after inhaling toxic fumes. But in the coming years, this list is likely to grow.
00.41.04 doctor
"We have about 2500 people today and new people coming all the time.
00.41.11
Question: How many people will be sick of the 9 / 11 aftermath?
41.16 Dr. Reibman
"I do not know but 300 000 people below Canal street which is pretty close from the site, who had potential for exposure. "
COMM DIANE TRANSITION
The creation of the free care unit at Bellevue marked the recognition by the US government of thousands of new victims of the 9-11 disaster.
But, incredible as it may seem, 7 years on America has still not finished taking care of those that died that day.
00.41.57
We are in the quiet suburbs of New Jersey, 40 minutes from New York. This is the home of Diane and Kurt Horning: a home filled with memories.
00.42.14 - Kurt
"This is one of our favourite photos"
Their two children, Elizabeth and Matthew were brought up in this house.
00.42.25 Live photos
My baby… The last picture we have of him, it was taken at his grand mother 90 years birthday. And he was so happy.
42.37
7 years ago, their son Matthew, was in one of the two towers. A terrible day they cannot forget.
00.42.45 Diane Itw
"My brother in law, said Diane turn on your TV. One of the towers was hit by a plane, and I hang up right away and turned on the TV that's how I found out.
I could not reach Matthew. And of course we never, we never were able to locate him in a hospital or so. "
43.11
For Diane and Kurt, the hardest thing to bear is that they have not found Matthew’s body. The authorities stopped the search for victims with only half of the missing accounted for. This, the couple can’t forgive.
00.43.29 Diane
"They keep saying to us, well we're so sorry for you, it's so patronizing, what we make you happy was that we bring back your love ones, we do not have the power to do that, we never asked you to bring my son alive, but I have issue that you don’t bring him back dead. "
43.52
Diane and Kurt are convinced they know where Matthew’s body lies. The Hornings travel down this road many times every year. It leads to Long Island. A real road of tears.
00.44.13 Diane
"Everytime I go there I have a sense of dread. I do not know what I'm going to find, I know what I have found in the past and that's not having been pleasant"
After a half-hour drive, they arrive in what looks like a vast wasteland. To enter the zone, they must pass a roadblock.
00.44.37
"We have a gentleman here with a camera and other people"
Diane
"No it's just the 2 of us going up, the camera's not coming"
You can park there.
00.44.50
We cant go further?
Diane
No You Cant
44.57
But what can be so important that journalists are denied entry?
45.06
A guide arrives for the Hornings, but we are not allowed to follow. Kurt agrees to wear a hidden camera.
45.28
And here is what America has been hiding from the world.
45.33
Kurt
"So, Here we are, this is the top of the hill,
Under the feet of the Hornings, giving off a rotting odour, lie the remains of the World Trade Centre.
00.45.56 Kurt
'This area on the right is all the area where the remains were piled onto the garbage "
46.03
The authorities stated that there was nothing left in the rubble: neither human remains nor personal belongings. But you only need to look down to see this is not true.
00.46.15
Diane
"Oh this is a fireman’s jacket here"
00 .46.21 Kurt
"Here a large piece of iron. You can see Diane is now standing in a gallery so you can see how deep it is. Here is the inside of a shoe
00.46.34 Diane:
Oh look
Kurt
Diane just found a key, we did found a dozen of WTC keys stamped with numbers on them.
46.53
Diane piles the evidence into her backpack. Proof to backup their campaign. Returning, the Hornings make an inventory of what they found.
Sequence front of the car
00.47.10 Diane
"That's a glove and I would think that something like a shoe sole is a personal effect and it could have DNA on it. "
00.47.22 Kurt
"That's a fireman's coat"
Kurt 47.27
"That shows that the recovery process was not as accurate and as well done as the city claims,
00.47.35 Diane
"They cannot tell me that they sifted everything, they can not tell us that. "
00.47.41
Question: So now your plan is to gather evidence against the state?
47.50 Diane
"Yes yes and hoping that we'll be allowed to show it to someone, that will be able to do it in a court of law. "
48.00
The Hornings have decided to take the City of New York to court to try to force them to search the rubble.
00.48.06 Diane
"We're asking for a cemetery, and that we do not have for the 9 / 11 dead. A cemetery. 44% of the people have not been identified, 44% have nothing. We do not treat the victim like garbage. "
48.30
The Hornings are only at the beginning of their campaign. Their mission is to ensure that the lessons of 9-11 are not buried underneath mountains of rubbish. For them, as for many other families, this is the only way to definitively turn the page on 11 September.
48.43 END